Mediterranean diet earns much-deserved praise

Several weeks ago The New England Journal of Medicine released the results of a large study advocating the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet. To summarize, the study proposed that the control groups who followed a diet consisting of a high intake of olive oil, nuts, vegetables and whole grains, a moderate consumption of lean meats such as fish and chicken, and red wine, and a limited consumption of red and processed meats, dairy products and sweets, lowered their risk for heart disease.

The study was the largest of its kind and supported earlier research showing similar results. The study was not perfect, but has some application for the benefits of eating better.

How is this diet any different from the thousands of other diets touted to promote better health? The Mediterranean diet study looked at heart disease risk. Other popular diets promote quick weight loss, cancer prevention or blood-pressure management.

Are there common threads in all of these diets? Absolutely. Most of us would have better cholesterol and blood-pressure levels, lower our risk for heart disease, lose weight and feel better if we adopted just a few of the characteristics these diets promote: